Lights of Shiloh
by Thegoh
Summary: Alternate Universe: 6 adolescent girls, each leading different kinds of lives, meet each other within the walls of a distant city. But once duty calls, paths will cross and the lives of these girls slowly become intertwined. Watch as they forge an unlikely friendship, grow up, prepare for a journey and break the rules, all while loving music and drinking tea. Rated T for safety
1. Living at the outskirts

**A/N: Hello all, Thegoh here again. This would be my first attempt at an AU K-ON! fic. I am not quite good at writing stories and having them set in a different universe, but I have decided challenge myself so that my writing can improve. So please forgive me if this does not live up to your expectations. As always, your reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated!**

**This story is set in a fictional province around the early 1800s, something like feudal Japan but not entirely. For the ease of writing and understanding, I will be using the standard units for things like time and distance. I will also throw in some Japanese but mostly in dialogue only, since it helps them stay in character in terms of speech (to me at least).  
**

**Character's thoughts are underlined. **

* * *

A light breeze swept itself across the huge field, bringing the fresh scent of dew and earth to any living being roaming the large expanse. The winds rose and fell as they flew past the undulating landscape, buffeting foliage and any unfortunate insects as it twisted past irregular obstacles.

On the top of a small, grassy mound stood a tall, jet-black steed sporting a flowing midnight mane. A tuft of silvery fur adorned the ridge between its eyes which scanned the landscape it faced, its ears were upright and alert, listening closely to its surroundings. The wind blew through the hairs of its mane, whipping them through the air as the handsome beast loyally carried its rider on its back, snorting as the scent of wild grass overwhelmed its nostrils. The rider inhaled deeply, her grip on the reins loosening as she slowly took in the sight before her.

It was mile after mile of lush green grass carpeting the land, dotted by the occasional boulder and dark bush. Wild flowers of every shape imaginable were scattered across the green canvas – vibrant yellows and reds, soft lilacs and blues, crisp whites and deep purples – against the backdrop of an azure sky and flanked by the base of a tall, regal mountain. The view was nothing short of breath-taking; and to the young rider, no poet or composer could hope to ever hope to capture this picture even with their best words and melodies.

A distant, deep, rumbling noise brought the rider out of her reverie; she looked up, hazel eyes sweeping the horizon and finally focusing on a large, dark, messy body moving over the field. The numerous shrill cries that escaped the moving mass confirmed their identities; a large herd of wild horses. The shifting shades of chestnut, black, cream and pinto became clearer to the rider as her eyes trained onto the herd, following their movements. The deep, steady yet tumultuous rhythm of their gallop filled her with a fiery energy; this thunderous tempo of their run boasted of the wild, untamed spirit contained within the bodies of these magnificent, yet gentle creatures that were seemingly gifted with the ability to drum a steady beat on the earth.

Her black steed watched its comrades intently, but obediently stood still as he was trained to while the girl watched the herd disappear. She tugged at the reins, easing her mount to turn back and break into a comfortable trot, having had her fill of the amazing morning view.

The slender frame of the girl belied her strength and courage; after all, she was a hunter and stable-hand, having to take down large animals and take care of entire stables of horses. A crossbow and quiver of arrows were slung across her back, and a large dagger was strapped to her hip; she did not need them this morning, but their weight was reassuring – there was no telling when she might run into trouble with the wildlife.

After a short while, she arrived back at a cottage at the base of the mountain. Dismounting from the horse, she led him to a sheltered stable away from the house and removed the saddle, allowing him to join the three other horses that were resting inside. Each horse belonged to one of her family members, and all came from the same mare that had died not too long ago. The 2 horses that had preceded these horses, one had a cream coat and the other a chestnut one. How they had managed to produce her black-coated friend, she did not know; the scholars in the city said it had something to do with "breeding issues". Whatever that was.

A distance away stood a large shack, with steam coming out of the chimney. Ah, looks like my father is awake. Looks like I should get going as well. She walked back to the cottage, making sure she closed the stable gates properly. The last time she forgot to… suffice to say she got into deep trouble because of it. As she entered the cottage, the aroma of fresh baked bread and boiled tomato stew wafted into her nose.

"Ah, Ritsu! Welcome home! How was your morning walk?" A woman in her early 40s with light brown hair gave her daughter a loving smile as she served a bowl of hot stew and placed a loaf of bread on the table.

"It wasn't really a walk you know?" Ritsu grinned as she sat down on the bench, helping herself to the simple yet filling meal. The older woman chuckled lightly.

"I know, I know. Now hurry along, you have work today don't you?" she urged her daughter. "I'll clear it up."

Nodding, Ritsu drained the bowl of its remaining contents and stuffed the last of the loaf in her mouth, using the bread to absorb some of the hot liquid and save her from scalding her tongue. She went to her room, threw on her outer tunic, stuffed a spare set of clothing into her pack and headed towards the shack outside her home.

As she neared the wooden structure, the stench of curing chemicals began to sting her nose and caused her eyes to water slightly. Her family was in the tanning business, and her father, Tainaka Soshiro, was at the forefront of this particular craft; his skills at skinning game and curing hides were well known throughout the province. Naturally, this them a major processor and supplier of cured leather and were busy all year round, especially so in the winter.

They often have transactions with the city-based hunters and merchants; the former would sell them the pelts of their game and the latter would either buy their leather directly or help transport the stock for a fee. The family would also contribute to their pelt supply by hunting in the plains near their home; a job which was once also Soshiro's, but has now been passed on to their workers, Ritsu and her younger brother Satoshi. Ritsu shook her head as she recalled how adamant her mother had been against letting her learn hunting, Tainaka Rumi had wanted her daughter to be more lady-like. Eventually she gave in, since Soshiro needed the help and at that point, Satoshi was barely of age, and the business was growing rapidly.

The Tainaka family would make sure that most of the cured hides and unused pelts would be sold in the market of Shiloh - the capital of their province - at the stall of their long time friends, the Akiyama family. The Akiyama family specialized in making clothes, shoes and beddings, and had a lucrative business in doing so. The reliability of their products, thanks to the quality of their crafting and the leather they used, gave their business a big name within the province. It was the skills on both sides that made their partnership so successful.

However, the friendship between the two families ran far deeper than just a mere business partnership. The Tainaka and Akiyama patriarchs – the ones 4 generations above Ritsu – had served in the military together during the Great Civil War, and had saved each other's lives during the fight. Once peace had been restored, the 2 grew as close as brothers, and had chosen to support each other's families together. At first the 2 families lived in the same complex, but as the size of the families grew, they had to live separately.

Even so, their children and grandchildren would continue to grow up in each other's company and give assistance in times of need, and till today the ties remain. Needless to say, the current daughter of the Akiyama family, Akiyama Mio, was Ritsu's best friend.

Peeking into the shack, Ritsu found her father and brother working furiously amongst the other workers. Now that Satoshi was older, his father has finally decided to pass on the tanning craft to him, something which he took very seriously. Ritsu giggled at her younger brother's intense look of concentration and confidence as he took instruction from his father; it was completely different compared to the shy, reserved side of him that he usually showed others. He often had trouble making new friends because of this, and had to rely on his boisterous, amicable elder sister several times to overcome his own barriers, especially when it came to girls.

"Hey Ritsu! The cart is loaded already, you should get going. You don't want to be late." Soshiro waved his daughter away. "Be careful alright? And remember to wear your coat! It's still rather cold lately."

"Shoot anything that gets too close, Nee-chan!" Satoshi grinned.

Ritsu simply gave a thumbs-up and a smile before proceeding to the horse-drawn cart loaded with pelts and leather. The man standing next to the cart gave Ritsu a soft smile, it was none other than Mio's father, Akiyama Hatori. Every morning when it was time for the Tainaka family to deliver their supplies over, Hatori and his helper would drive the cart over from Shiloh to the Tainaka household and join them for an early tea session while Satoshi would load up the cart. Every now and then, Mio would come along and join Ritsu in her early morning routine. Once all was done, Ritsu would join the cart and they would head back to the city.

Hoisting herself onto the cart, Ritsu settled herself behind the stacks of leather and pelt, using them as a backrest during the journey. Not that the journey was a long one, since the Tainaka's lived within reasonable walking distance from the city gates, but no one said it was illegal to get comfortable, even if it was just for 15 minutes.

Ritsu leaned back and closed her eyes, dozing off before the cart even began moving.

* * *

**This chapter and the next few will be used to lay some groundwork: such as the roles of our characters and the nature of the place they are in. After all, it is an alternate universe and it makes no sense to give half-baked ideas about the world the girls have been placed into. **

**Please rate and review! Thank you very much.  
**


	2. It's A City Job!

**Hey all, here's chapter 2!  
**

* * *

When Ritsu opened her eyes again, the cart had already stopped at the central market of Shiloh, outside the Akiyama family shop, and she found herself staring into a pair of familiar grey eyes.

"Wake up sleepyhead; you've been sleeping here for the past 15 minutes. Don't you have to get to the palace stables?" Mio asked, annoyance clear in her voice. "Geez, why are you always so lazy?"

"Hey, I prefer the term 'strategic resting' okay?" Ritsu jumped off the cart, dusting her outer tunic. The noisy chatter surrounding her, and the smell of cooked food perked her mind up from its stupor. Shaking herself awaked, she tucked her crossbow and arrows under the covers of the cart; she would be asking for trouble by bringing weapons into her workplace. She would just retrieve them after she was done for the day, before she followed the cart home. "And anyway, why didn't you wake me up then?" she cocked her eyebrow at Mio.

Mio could not answer.

"Ohoho, couldn't bear to wake me up eh? Wanted to stare at my adorable face as I slept hmm?" Ritsu's mouth curled into a coy smile. In return, Mio smacked her across the back of her head.

"Ah, Mio, so violent in the morning!" she cried in mock fear and cradled her head as if she had been terribly injured. Mio merely rolled her eyes at her antics, immune to Ritsu's false cries of pain.

"Come on, it's time to go." Mio began walking towards the palace. Ritsu quickly fell in step beside her and hummed a light tune, silently grateful for her friend's company as she headed for work. Soon, Mio began to hum along with Ritsu but in a lower tone, harmonizing with her.

The two shared a soft, knowing glance and began to hum with slightly greater fervor, enjoying the music they made as they made their way through the crowds, but being careful not to hum to the point of drawing attention to themselves. Ritsu began to tap her sides lightly, adding a soft, upbeat rhythm to the song they hummed, earning an approving look from the long-haired girl who swayed to the beat she tapped.

The two girls have always had a knack for music, despite not really having had any form of proper coaching. They had some knowledge thanks to schooling; all children were taught the basics in the public school by palace musicians, such as rhythm and simple harmonies. Such lessons were boring for most kids, but intriguing for the duo.

Their families could definitely afford to let them learn, but the coaching provided was often geared towards palace performances, something which both girls did not really appreciate; Ritsu found that the palace performances were too girlish and uptight, while Mio was simply too embarrassed by the very idea of performing. Furthermore, they were content with it being their special form of enjoyment, so why change it?

Ritsu believed that she gained her sense of rhythm from listening to horses, something which Mio found both thought-provoking and somewhat absurd. It made some sense; a horses' gallop had a distinctive rhythm to it which varied according to speed, and they were perhaps the only animals that could produce that deep beat, but the idea that an animal could innately possess and pass on such a complex knowledge to a human was just strange. Then again, this was Ritsu, whose imagination and love of unorthodox expressions knew no bounds.

Before they knew it, they had arrived at the outer gates and had to end their little singing session. Mio gave a warm smile and calmly waved Ritsu off, promising to visit her for lunch. The palace was a huge structure; its outer most walls were very thick and made of tough stone, lined with guard towers at regular intervals and encircled a very large area of land.

The actual palace itself was right in the centre of the land the walls enclosed, encircled by another set of huge, thick walls. The rest of the areas in between the walls were used for barracks, rest quarters for servants, courtyards and of course the stables. There were four large barracks inside, each occupying a corner of the land with the main palace in the middle. Each barrack had its own stable and rest quarters, and was enclosed by its own set of walls.

Such a design ensured that the military force in the palace was spread out evenly. The outer gates led to a vast courtyard overlooked by the main building in the distance and flanked by two barracks. The floor was made of red brick stone, with white and black stone forming decorative patterns at the edges and a large insignia of the city of Shiloh in the centre.

This was where the civilians of Shiloh would gather during the annual jubilee of the royal Kotobuki family, and for any other special occasions such as festivals. It was also used occasionally for military exercises and training, and was practically the only part of the palace that was open to the public. Try to go anywhere else without permission and you risked getting shot by the numerous archers on the walls.

The stable that Ritsu worked at was to the right of the magnificent courtyard. She showed the soldiers guarding the gate to the barracks the token she wore on her neck; a piece of copper shaped into a disc with the Shiloh insignia etched in black in the centre. Its edges had intricate designs carved into it and were overlaid with red trimmings, giving the token a distinct look and intended to make it harder to forge. The soldier examined the token carefully, and looked at Ritsu asking for further confirmation of her identity.

Sighing, Ritsu pulled up the right sleeve of her outer tunic, exposing her right arm to the cool air. Part of her forearm was covered by a thick black leather band, which she unbuckled to reveal a dark tattoo underneath. The waterproof and dirt resistant ink stamped on her skin was shaped in a completely different design than the one on her token. It was the symbol of the barracks she was working in; and the blue colour of the ink indicated her position as a stable-hand. The soldier checked the tattoo closely, before finally giving her the green light and allowing her to enter.

Ritsu let out an irritated grunt as she quickly buckled the leather band back in place and rolled her sleeve back down, bringing a comfortable pocket of air to warm her arm. She never really liked the tattoo; it made her feel like an animal being branded. Unfortunately, it was a necessary procedure to ensure palace security. As a rule, anyone who worked in the palace – be it as a servant, soldier or even as a member of the royal family – had to carry around a token bearing the city's insignia and receive a tattoo of the symbol of the section they worked in on their right forearm.

Depending on what they worked as, the metal used to make the token and the ink colour used would be different; soldiers had dull iron tokens and jet-black tattoos, servants and labourers had copper tokens and blue tattoos, court officials and musicians had polished silver tokens and leaf-green tattoos, while members of the royal family had polished gold tokens and red tattoos.

By law, these tattoos were to remain hidden at all times unless a confirmation of identity was required by appropriate authorities. Failure in doing so meant a possible jail sentence and the person would have their palace employment removed, along with the tattoo.

Thankfully, the procedure to remove it was relatively painless; they would just scrub it off with a special alcohol. Then again, it's pretty damn hard to scrub this stuff off…

It was also illegal to sell the tokens or use them in any form of business transactions, and any merchant carts entering or leaving the palace and city would be subject to random searches for these items.

Regulations, regulations. They were quite frankly, a huge pain in the neck for Ritsu; she usually found it hard to understand the point of all these rigid systems and formalities. Sure, in this case, these helped to control the workers in the palace and increased the ease of spotting imposters, but other things like royal speeches, military displays, even things like how flowers were to be arranged, dress code and grooming procedures; these made no sense at all. She was just a stable-hand, how else could she possibly dress? Just how the hell would the exact position of a single flower affect anything? And whether you trim the mane or clean the hoof first, did it really matter? The horse would ultimately still be groomed regardless of whether you brushed its head or washed its ass first. These people were just complicating simple things, and they really needed to get out more often.

However, Ritsu kept all these thoughts to herself, she knew better than to stir up trouble in the palace. She simply resigned to the fact that these systems were going nowhere, and that unfortunately, they have proven to work. Still, abiding by these systems was a small price to pay; after all, she loved her job, and the people she worked with were awesome to be around. Not to mention the fact that it brought in extra income and a little more prestige to her family; who could deny that working in the palace was cool?

She smiled as she stepped into the stable and cracked her neck, ready to start a day's worth of work. First agenda of the day: grooming the young stallions.

"Let's go!"

* * *

**Some notes on the thought process behind the chapter:**

Security in the palace needs to be tight. So I was thinking really hard on how to justify the fact that normal civillians like Ritsu could land a job within palace grounds and how people like Mio can just simply walk in and have lunch, so I came up with this system. Unique objects that would be hard to forge in a time without technology, objects which bear designs that are kept secret, and a palace that's crawling with security. This system of tokens and tattoos was my interpretation of the system of using identity cards, fingerprints etc. I do hope it's sensible to you guys, since things always do sound alot better in my head than when in writing.**  
**

****Ritsu doesn't just care for horses in the stables, she also trains the young ones to be ridable and obedient so that they can be further trained by the military.

**Thank you for reading, please rate and review! Much appreciated!  
**


	3. The Other Side of the Glass

**Hey all, here is chapter 3! **

**To all those who have been following my writings and putting them as favourites, thank you so much. Your support is very encouraging for me ^^ Special thanks to Psykoakuma who has been very supportive of all the fics I have written, even though I haven't really written a lot of fics.**

**So, enjoy this chapter, and reviews are much apprieciated. Your constructive criticism is very helpful for me as it helps to improve this story and my writing as a whole!**

**Thoughts will be in italics this time, the reason I have been putting them in underlines is because they often screw up my formatting. **

* * *

A soft hand with pale skin and slender fingers brushed over the decorative carvings of the pillars along the outer corridor, their owner using her fingertips to feel the contours of the complex designs. Despite the miniscule size of the carvings, their intricacy bore testimony to the skill and dedication of the craftsmen that made them; hardworking folk who put their heart and soul into every piece of work.

The young girl turned her eyes to the garden before her; it was a relatively small garden compared to most others in the palace, with a marble path snaking through the patch of plants. Each cluster of flowers and bushes were well pruned and shaped, and placed at regular intervals along the winding path. Said path was devoid of any leaf litter and petals; all were dutifully swept to the sides onto the soil to act as fertilizers. The carpet of grass was kept level, and should any single blade of grass grow out of place, it would be trimmed off the very next day. Fastidious cleaning made the marble shine under the sunlight, and the small pavilion it led to was meticulously kept tidy.

As the girl scanned the garden again, she felt a gnawing feeling in her chest. Anyone else who laid their eyes on the building she lived in and the garden just outside her room would always croon about how incredibly lucky she was, and that she was the envy of the masses for her status and good looks. They would go on to saying how much they wished they could be in her place, since in their eyes, her life was the pinnacle of success.

The blonde-haired girl could not deny those sentiments completely; her wealth and status put her in a powerful position and gave her a luxurious life, things that have been coveted by all young people since the beginning of time. But they just could not see that this position came at a heavy, unseen price.

Her status was all that people would see of her. She wasn't an 18 year old girl, she wasn't someone stumbling around in her adolescence, she wasn't someone who loved to experience the world. No, she was the daughter of Lord Kotobuki, the perfect princess, wise beyond her years and powerful. It was as if her family name and the regal image it bore had swallowed and masked over her being entirely.

Everything about her had to be perfect; the way she walked, talked, dressed, what she had to like, even right down to the garden that stood before her now. Prim, poise, proper, purpose. The only four words she was groomed to be defined by, and the only four she could ever hope to live by.

It was all so artificial, so meticulously maintained that she wondered if she could ever be normal anymore. Civilians may envy her, but she herself wished to become common, even for just one day. They had more freedom than her than they realized; they could choose who they wanted to befriend, what they wanted to work as, who they wanted to fall in love with… sure, she had wealth, but they had an even greater luxury, the freedom of choice. But for her… all she had was her status. It was strangely ironic; she mattered because of her standing, but yet she felt so irrelevant because of the distance it created. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the twisted thoughts.

_Prim, poise, proper, purpose… and positivity then _she told herself.

"Ah! Lady Tsumugi! Good morning! Is there anything I can do for you?" a young girl approached her, her copper hair tied back in a neat ponytail. She was clad in simple grey cloth attire with black trimmings. A blue waistcloth was tied around her hips which bore the Shiloh insignia and as with all servants, she wore a token on her neck and her right forearm had a leather band buckled around it. She bore a soft smile as she greeted the princess.

"Ah Ui! Good morning. Where is Yui?" Tsumugi returned with a warm smile of her own.

"She's is still cleaning your dulcimer [1], ma'am. Perhaps you wish to play it now? I will fetch it for you." Ui dutifully replied, ready to move at her orders. Tsumugi giggled at the young servant girl, she really took her job quite seriously.

"Relax Ui, there is no need to be so formal with me, no one is watching." Tsumugi placed her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. She was only a year younger than herself, yet Tsumugi could feel an aura of wisdom and reliability surrounding this girl. Her elder sister, Hirasawa Yui, on the other hand radiated a feeling of pleasant warmth and innocence. It was almost as if their roles had been reversed, something that always managed to intrigue the blonde-haired princess.

Tsumugi remembered the circumstances under which the two girls were brought into the palace and to work under her. They were daughters of a merchant couple that hailed from a neighbouring province. The couple had settled down in Shiloh many years ago in order to expand their existing business, taking advantage of the fact that Shiloh had a rather strategic location near the border of this province. It was a risky move though, for it cost a lot for foreign traders to set up shop within the city.

Shiloh had a longstanding practice of protecting its small economy; the city's policies put a tight seal on the entry of foreign businesses and on the imports of numerous products. Such restriction meant that foreign businesses would have to pay more in order to settle here and trade.

On the other hand, this meant that businesses based in Shiloh could grow in strength rather quickly [2], but trade and financial officials knew that such a model was not going to be sustainable in the long-term. Thus, this gave rise to the decision to raise business taxes and loosen trade regulations around 10 years ago, so that the businesses in Shiloh had some healthy competition. [3]

The sudden increase in trade volume resulting from that move meant that existing businesses now had to fight to remain viable, and this presented a rather difficult dilemma for the Hirasawa merchants, whose business had only been around for 3 years when the changes were implemented.

Their initial plan had been to allow the branch in Shiloh to grow at its own pace, and only proceeding to expand into the neighbouring cities when the business had steadied itself; trading in luxury goods was not a type of business that could grow rapidly. Furthermore they were still a comparatively small business, and had invested a lot when choosing to expand into Shiloh first in hopes that they could use it as a spring board to the other cities within this province. Thus, they needed the time to earn back what they invested and also to bring up their young daughters.

However, the effects of the unexpected change in policy forced them to speed up their plans, since there was a spike in the number of businesses that dealt with goods similar to theirs. They needed to begin travelling to the neighbouring cities as soon as possible so as to sustain the branch; they would not be able to completely absorb the loss incurred – in terms of finances and opportunity – if the branch in Shiloh collapsed. Yet, in order to save the branch, it required them to leave their daughters behind as they needed to be there to execute such an expansion.

Bringing the two girls along with them was an option they had considered, but the idea was quickly scrapped since they were still so young at that time; Yui was only 5 years old and Ui was 4. Constantly moving around would be very stressful for them, and they needed to be in a stable environment in order to grow well; educating them on the go was an idea that the parents did not like.

Still, leaving them in the home out of the question; the city was not the safest place in the world, and the two could hardly fend for themselves. Thus, the Hirasawa merchants eventually decided to put them under the care of their friend; an old lady and former neighbour who works in the palace as a head servant. However, her work required her to live within the palace, and hence the young girls were moved there to be under her care.

It wasn't easy convincing the official in charge of general affairs to allow for such a special arrangement to be made, even though the Hirasawa name had become a relatively reputable one in the palace within the 3 years they had spent in Shiloh.

They were one of the very few traders in Shiloh that supplied high-quality and reliable luxury goods at the time; most businesses here focused on the supply of raw materials, animal products and crops. As a result, they became a frequented client of the palace during the 3 years, which gave the merchant couple several contacts on the inside.

Still, there were a lot of bureaucratic procedures to go through, and even then it took a great deal of negotiation and string-pulling before a favourable conclusion was reached: in return for their lodging and education, the two girls had to work as the princess' personal servants once they were of age, until it was time for her to take office officially, since they were the same age as the princess.

"Lady Tsumugi! Your instrument is all cleaned and ready for use!" Yui enthusiastically reported, having arrived at the garden while Tsumugi was thinking. Ui gave her elder sister a nod, a silent greeting; it was considered rude to speak with other workers in the presence of a royal family member.

"Thank you Yui! Both of you relax. It's only the three of us here, so let's have some tea alright? Just brewed it right here." Tsumugi gave a small grin.

"Woah, Lady Tsumugi's tea? Definitely!" Yui happily accepted the steaming cup from the blue-eyed girl and sat across her, sipping contentedly. Ui sighed, her sister certainly loved to abandon etiquette when given the chance.

"Here you go Ui, one for you as well." A pair of warm hands handed a cup to her.

"Y-Yes ma'am! Uh…" Ui tried to comply with her Lady's instruction, but it was difficult; she was merely a servant and was very used to acting within the boundaries of etiquette. Suddenly being casual around a member of the royal family was something you could not simply just get used to.

"C'mon Ui, the tea is really really good! Plus, it's an early break for us!" Yui pumped her fist in the air, hoping that it would help put her younger sister at ease. Really, it was impossible to resist tea like this! Tsumugi smiled and cheerfully imitated the action as well, which alarmed Ui even more. Letting out a defeated sigh, she gratefully accepted the tea and sat next to her sister, listening to the light conversation between the older girls.

While it normally went against etiquette to do so, Tsumugi often had tea and shared her snacks with these two girls. They had begun working for her only 2 years ago, but she found herself quickly warming up to them. The Hirasawa sisters were unlike most of the other servants that worked in her part of the palace; their enthusiasm and friendliness was sincere and true, something that Tsumugi learned tell over the years growing up in the palace.

In a place where everything was defined by strict etiquette and rules, fueled by paranoia and the illusion of status, it was easy for any form of enthusiasm to be dashed. Most of the people working around her had thus given up on going the extra mile. They did as they were told, and nothing else. Of course, they continued to smile sweetly so that they don't stir up trouble, but Tsumugi could tell. It was the same smile that her parents and their advisors gave at ceremonies and important events. It was exactly like the garden before her: meticulously maintained for the sake of appearances.

Yet, such a mindset cannot be done away with; it was necessary to give a good image because of the amount of power and influence the royal family held. No one wants a grumpy ruler or a rage-filled ally, and much less be at the mercy of one. The survival of the whole city depended on maintaining a good appearance and tight security. That required the rules and strict etiquette, which to Tsumugi, are great tools at making people feel hopelessly trapped.

But Ui and Yui were not like that. Their smiles were almost never forced, especially in Tsumugi's presence, and they always did their best to ensure that Tsumugi was truly happy. They were the ones who dared to approach her while she was silently shedding tears at night, who bothered to listen to her when she needed a listening ear, who truly appreciated the so-called "unrefined" songs she occasionally played. They were the open-minded, easy-going pair within a community of old-fashioned stick-in-the-muds. Most importantly, they always found joy in what they did, no matter how trivial the matter. In Yui's own words:

"It's fun and good to be happy, so why not?"

It was this attitude of theirs that had allowed Tsumugi to become good friends with them over time, and in her eyes they were the closest to best friends she could get. Once they managed to relax from their duties, they were able to chat with the blonde-haired girl about almost anything. Ui usually needed more time to adjust to the situation, but once she had, she would become a very insightful speaker. However, she usually spoke less when her elder sister was around, preferring to listen to her.

Yui would take no time at all to relax, and was often the provider of many interesting – sometimes strange – discussions and activities. Watching the dynamics of their relationship as siblings was icing on the cake; seeing how child-like the older one could get and the steadiness of the other in sheer contrast amused Tsumugi to no end. She had on several occasions joked about possible conspiracy theories regarding the difference between the two sisters, a topic that was surprisingly entertaining to Ui – who gladly embellished the theories – and predictably caused Yui to panic hilariously.

Warm, sincere, perhaps a bit weird, but Tsumugi loved every part of them. And the best way she knew to thank the two for their meaningful companionship was to spend time with them and aid them whenever she could, be it in giving advice or lightening their load where possible. She, too, would do her best for them, even if it meant skirting the rules.

"Hey, hey, Lady Tsumugi. Do you have your own horse?" Yui asked with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes, I do. Want to go take a look?"

"Really? That's so cool! Let's go see it, Ui!" she grabbed her younger sister, her face brimming with delight. Ui smiled at her sister; she always loved seeing her smile and felt a little envious at how easy it was for her to become happy. Knowing that she can't bring herself to reject Yui, she gave a nod of approval.

"But only after we clean up the tea sets." Ui replied.

"Eh…."

* * *

**Some explanations and a little history here:**

[1]: A dulcimer is essentially a large, angled wooden board with numerous strings stretched over it. It is played by striking the strings with a pair of tiny mallets or by plucking them with the ends of the mallets. Popular in Asian countries, I consider it the old equivalent of a simple piano.

[2]: This particular system of lowering business taxes for local companies and restricting the import of the goods that a country or area is best at producing is a method used to help protect young businesses from being crowded out by foreign competition, especially if the foreign goods happen to be of better quality or are cheaper. Of course, it only shelters the products of the businesses locally. This system was employed by the actual Japanese government from the 1950s to 1990s, so I decided to use it as a reference.

[3]: However, businesses need to have competition so that they can improve their product quality and the way it's marketed. In a sense, having a foreign business that can potentially do better than you forces you to always improve, and this competition will weed out businesses that aren't as good and cause them to collapse. An economy full of not-so-good businesses will weaken overtime since everyone around them is improving except themselves. This was one of the reasons why Japan went into a series of economic recessions from 1990 to 2002.

**Thanks for reading! **


	4. An Unexpected Audience

**Thank you to all those who have supported this story!**

**This chapter is shortened, the original was much longer. But after one of you pointed out that it was better to split up large blocks of content and context-building. I have decided to split this inot 2 chapters.  
**

**So here's chapter 4, enjoy!  
**

* * *

Ritsu cracked her knuckles and stretched her back as she locked up the last of the young stallions back in their pens. Grooming them was no easy task, as they tended to fidget and generally refused to stay in one spot. She practically had to chase one particular stallion around his pen just so she could brush him, and almost got kicked several times. Her co-worker however, was not so lucky; his attempt to place a bit into one stallion's mouth ended with a bite to his arm and being shoved to the ground face-first.

Caring for horses was no easy task. It only looked easy since the entrance was mostly occupied by workers taking a break, soldiers taking their mounts and the older, more trained steeds waiting quietly within their pens. Those were the easier jobs; all they needed one to do was to clean, feed and hand over the trained steeds and your work was done. The real challenge lay within the stables, where the untrained horses, foals and mothers were housed. Dealing with those required knowledge, skill, a firm hand and a substantial amount of patience.

These younger horses, as well as the nursing mares, were all held much deeper inside the stable grounds, so that they would not be distracted or distressed by the bustle outside. They required a lot of maintenance besides the regular grooming and upkeep; the nursing mares had to be given special diets to supplement their recovery and their foals, said foals needed constant medical care and a controlled diet once they were weaned, and the younger ones… just needed a trainer who could take that kind of shit.

Ritsu herself loved working with these younger horses, stallion or mare, for they were often more spirited and energetic. Not that the older, trained ones were lacking in any fire themselves, but it was more fulfilling to train up a young one from scratch, and Ritsu loved a good challenge. Not to mention the fact that it sounded a lot cooler when saying that you train stallions. It was never easy to have to paint something coherent on a blank canvas, but when the job was done, it was immensely satisfying to survey the results.

"Nicely done Ritsu." Her co-worker patted her on the shoulder.

"Heheh of course." She gave him a smug grin, which he responded to by giving a thumbs-up. A gong sounded in the distance indicating that it was noon time, or more importantly, break time.

Ritsu really pitied the palace timekeepers; they spent all day doing nothing but counting the hours as they went by, and sounding the gong at sunrise, noon, mid-afternoon and at sunset. If it was possible to die of boredom, they would probably be the first ones to go. And as to what could have possibly possessed them to take up such a job, Ritsu decided that it was a mystery and was anyone's guess.

Remembering Mio's promise, she put her tools back to their respective places and walked out to the courtyard, giving the guards a curt nod as she passed through the gates. The noon time sun was bright as ever, but the cool air kept it from actually getting hot; the climate in the province was temperate, and even the hottest period still never went anything above being moderately warm.

Even so, the work that Ritsu did made sure she would sweat a fair bit despite the colder air; the only time she would not was when it was in the middle of winter, when it was cold enough for hell to freeze over. Thankfully, that time was past, and for now she could enjoy the comfort of spring.

Ritsu sauntered over to the base of a nearby tree and sat down while waiting for Mio; it was their usual spot for having lunch. The thick branches and newly budding leaves provided some form of shade from the glare of the sun, and the spot provided a nice view of the courtyard. It was not as secluded as she would have liked; the palace architecture and placement of guards ensured almost no blind corners. Furthermore, there were always people moving about the courtyard, be it merchants having to make a delivery or the wandering poet in need of some inspiration.

Having to eat under the watchful eyes of a foot soldier some distance away and the archers overhead was rather unsettling the first few times she and Mio did it. But they never bothered them; it was quite obvious they weren't doing anything illegal, and the courtyard was open to the public after all. Eventually, the two friends got used to it, and regularly had lunch together in the courtyard during noon time. Ritsu always loved this part of her routine, it was one of the few times she could really relax and spend time with Mio, apart from her morning walks.

The two girls had no qualms chatting about anything; from griping about their boring work day to snarking about rumors that had been spreading around. And if both were too tired to talk, they would just keep each other company as they ate. Mio's companionship meant a lot to Ritsu, her presence and opinions had become an integral part of the short-haired girl's life.

The few times she had caused Mio to be truly angry at her were painful memories. She never wanted Mio to ever think any less of her; the girl's opinions were that important. Still, her hilarious reactions often made it tough not to poke at her. Glancing up, she spotted the raven haired girl waiting at the outer gates, and waved for her to come over.

For Mio, Ritsu was the counterbalance in her life, providing energy and strength where she could not. The shorter girl, despite her seemingly shallow outward behaviour with her constant teasing and child-like antics, was actually far more mature and level headed than herself and had on several occasions helped Mio solve issues she could not face. Mio was often praised for having a cool, mature air about her, but in truth she was actually rather timid and naive in nature.

Ritsu often warned her about wearing her emotions on her sleeve, it left her wide open to be tricked and not everyone was a kind person who would take pity on a young woman. As long as you were vulnerable, it gave others a chance to harm you; such was Ritsu's take on the world around her. Mio felt that that was too harsh a judgment to pass, surely people weren't that bad right? But human nature and the human psyche was a topic for another time, for now, Mio was going to enjoy her lunch.

"So here's today's lunch. I made them myself." Mio handed one of two boxes to Ritsu, giving a proud look. She had decided to make something personally today, after Ritsu had teased her about not being able to cook some time ago. Ritsu narrowed her eyes and curled her mouth into a sly grin. _Oh, a challenge huh Mio? You asked for it._

"Oh really? Let's see what the Great Chef Mio has made then…" Ritsu gleefully opened the lid, revealing six white, rabbit-shaped buns arranged nicely in two rows, complete with pink food colouring dotting where the nose was. She immediately burst into hysterical laughter and Mio's smug smile quickly dissolved into an irritated and embarrassed frown.

"So…hahaha...typical…" Ritsu was on her back now, sides hurting from the laughter and tears in her eyes as she rolled on the ground. Mio stood scowling; her plan to prove her friend utterly wrong had backfired spectacularly. _But two can play at that game._ Mio's scowl transformed into an uncharacteristic grin as she put her next plan into action.

"Oh? Typical? Then I guess it's not suited for the Great Tainaka Ritsu's taste then, I shall take it back and head home." She huffed, grabbing the boxes and turning away.

Ritsu shot up from the ground, eyes widening at the threat of losing her lunch. "AH NO! I'm starving! It looks good, I swear!" she put her hands together and looked at Mio with pleading eyes.

The taller girl chuckled, satisfied with the results, and sat down next to Ritsu, helping herself to her own portion of food. The two girls sat in comfortable silence, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere and clear sky. It was far from being actually quiet; they were barely a hundred meters away from the nearest barracks. But it was easy to ignore the dull grunts of soldiers moving around and the clinks-and-clanks of endlessly shifting weapons and equipment – all these noises had become part of the ambience over the time spent here.

Ritsu began to hum again, this time it was a slower and more relaxing song, while her hands did their usual job of tapping out a matching rhythm. Mio wasted no time in joining her, providing a deeper tone to give the resulting harmony a more solid feel. This was a song that Mio personally loved, one that she had once overheard her father singing to her mother during their anniversary; a love song that has been taught over the generations. It brought back wonderful memories, as this was the song that she and Ritsu had first learned together, and it was what made them love music ever since.

"That is a wonderful song." Mio jumped at the sudden appearance of a foreign voice, letting out a high pitched yelp and startling Ritsu. Craning her head to the source, Mio found herself looking into a pair of blue eyes graced with a light smile.

"Uh thanks… Sorry, you really surprised me." she scratched her head in embarrassment, a blush now colouring her cheeks; Mio really was not used to having an audience, much less an unexpected one that had quite literally sprang out of nowhere. _Like a ninja! Is she a merchant? Or just some random person? Still, she looks like the rich kind… like not of our class…_ Mio squirmed a little as the blue eyes continued to be trained on her, her mind racing to trying to think of what to say to her "audience" as the awkwardness grew.

Tsumugi chuckled lightly at the girl's shyness and beamed, hoping to ease her. It was clear that this girl had absolutely no idea who she was speaking with, but Tsumugi could not blame her. After all, she had not taken up office and hence rarely made public appearances; the only time she would appear in public would be during the annual jubilee, and even then she would be sitting under a sheltered seat high over the courtyard, and far away from the crowd below while her father gave his yearly speech. It was near impossible to see her face from the courtyard at that angle – courtesy of experimenting with Yui and Ui – and thus anyone outside the main palace would not know how she actually looked like. Furthermore, she was just wearing plain – but still expensive looking – robes, and could easily be mistaken for a rich merchant.

Such a discovery had really disheartened Tsumugi at first, because in addition to being stripped of her freedom, she was also denied the basis of her personal identity – her face. It practically cemented all those twisted, lonely thoughts that swam in her head; the people who envied her don't even know the face of whom they envied.

However, she soon realized that it wasn't a complete loss, since it essentially meant that she would be a total stranger to civilians when up close. It would thus give her the opportunity to speak to them without her status getting in the way; it was uncomfortable when people would panic upon seeing her, making it difficult to have a casual, comfortable conversation.

And now that she had more or less stumbled upon two civilians singing in the courtyard, she was not going to let this chance to socialize simply pass. Besides, what harm could come out of having a friendly chat?

* * *

**Thank you for reading, please rate and review, let me know what you think.**


	5. And The Conversation Continues

**And here is chapter 5! Once again, to all those who have bothered to read this far, thank you so much. This is a rather short chapter, I admit, so apologies for that. **

**Also, I'd like to apologise if any of you are bothered by the slow speed of my updates. For long stories like this, I usually only post if I'm at least one chapter in advance to help with handling continuity. Furthermore, I'm currently also experimenting with other stories and plots, thus it kinda slows down the writing as well.  
**

**Thegoh  
**

* * *

"You two are really quite talented, have you been coached before?" Tsumugi decided to break the silence first.

"Not really. It's kind of just a hobby for us. We don't really have any interest in being coached though." Ritsu replied, getting up from the base of the tree. She noticed that several soldiers were staring in their direction and had moved closer, but she ignored them. Still, it was a rather discomforting feeling being watched so intently._ What's with them? It's not as if I'm committing some crime. _Ritsu thought to herself.

Tsumugi raised her eyebrows, intrigued. "Why not? You two have a lot of potential."

"The way they teach music in the palace is way too uptight for my taste," Ritsu placed a hand behind her head, giving a lopsided smile. "For me, music is about being able to experiment in any way you want, being creative. Not about being _prim and proper_." She ended with a hint of mild irritation.

"Music needs discipline and rules, otherwise it would become incoherent." Mio gave Ritsu a disapproving stare, which then softened into a small grin as she added: "But you can't deny that it is still meant to be enjoyed; put too many restrictions and it just isn't music anymore, right?" Ritsu folded her arms and nodded sagely. Or at least attempted to. Mio felt that she looked ridiculous anyway.

Tsumugi's eyes widened visibly at their replies; these two girls had so easily voiced out what she had kept bottled inside her for years. She felt a wave of excitement surge through her, laced with a mild tinge of envy. There, standing right before her, were two people who could actually see the worth of what she believed in. Of course, she was slightly envious that they were able to have such a perspective so freely, but nothing could dampen the joy Tsumugi felt in finally finding like-minded people. She clapped her hands over her mouth, trying to stifle a gleeful squeal as she bounced a little on the spot.

Ritsu and Mio gave awkward smiles, not quite sure what to make of the blonde-haired girl's reaction. Tsumugi calmed herself down and nodded in agreement, trying her best not to let her excitement spill out too much. This was her first time meeting such people, and she didn't want to put them off. So, she tried to limit her reply to simply adding on to what they had said.

"That is very true! I feel that music is about conveying emotions where words cannot, and painting a picture without ink. It is has limitless potential, and it is a complete shame to restrict it. Of course, traditional music has its beauty, but one shouldn't be afraid to embrace and experiment with new concepts and styles right?" Tsumugi could feel her own eyes shine as she spoke impassionedly, feeling a sense of liberation and a rush of adrenaline from being able to voice out her thoughts which had been trapped for so long…

Before realizing that she had completely forgotten to restrain herself. Her confidence dissipated rapidly, embarrassment taking over as she looked downwards and away from the two surprised looking girls before her.

Mio, sensing her embarrassment, quickly tried to rebuild her confidence. "Don't worry about it, uh, it's just that we rarely talk about topics like this with others, so…" her voice trailed off, and the attempt to comfort the girl before her failed.

On the other hand, Ritsu stood there, speechless and slightly dumbfounded. The passion and intensity of the words that had escaped through the blonde-haired girl's mouth was unexpected, but genuinely moving. She sensed something behind those words of hers, something a little dark and desperate, but just could not pinpoint what it was. Even so, Ritsu could not deny that she had succinctly and poetically described the very idea of music, something that she had to give her credit for. Ritsu gave her a reassuring grin.

"That, was the best thing I have heard all day. Well said, I completely approve!" she said, giving the girl her signature thumbs-up. The approving gesture eased Tsumugi greatly; glad to have been able to receive some form of acceptance from these strangers.

But before any of them could speak anything more, a loud voice boomed from the barracks; Ritsu's co-worker was calling for her to get back to work. Raising her hand in apology, Ritsu quickly excused herself and ran back to the stables. Mio decided that she needed to go as well, since lunch time was over. She was needed back at the workshop as she was learning the ropes after all.

"Sorry, but I have to get back to work too. It's been great talking to you," Mio gave her a warm smile. "We meet here every day for lunch, do join us next time if you're around." she waved at Tsumugi as she ran off towards the main gates. Tsumugi beamed as she waved the raven-haired girl off, elated that she had been able to befriend the two.

Looking around, she caught the eyes of several soldiers, who up till that point, still had their eyes trained on her. She waved her hand slightly and gave a small smile to indicate that she was fine, which put the tensed soldiers at ease; they gave her a respectful bow and went back to their normal patrol duties.

Tsumugi was grateful that they did not charge over when she had walked up to the 2 girls for a chat, which would probably have scared them off. Of course, she was also aware that her actions may have confused them; Tsumugi had explicitly signaled for them to leave her be as she approached the girls, even though it was their duty protect her from any potentially hazardous situations as long as she was outside the main palace.

Then again, this was not the first time Tsumugi had done such a thing. She had developed a habit of wandering outside the main palace and moving around the areas in between during recent years; it was one of her ways of relaxing, by getting away from the rigid confines of the main palace. While the areas were far from quiet, it was certainly refreshing to simply observe what happens behind the scenes; the side of the palace that was not laced with politics.

During these little trips of hers, she never wore any of her royal robes and always gave direct orders not to be escorted. She wanted to move around alone, at her own pace and be as low profile as possible; having soldiers following her around put pressure on her and it would make her presence very obvious despite having worn plainer clothing – well, as plain as she could get at least. She also saw little need for an escort anyway; palace security was tight enough as it is and there were always guards nearby everywhere she walked, it would make little difference whether she had a personal escort or not.

Still, this behaviour of hers did raise some concern initially, since she was technically upsetting protocol and giving the soldiers quite a few headaches. But after some negotiation with her parents and discussion with the Chief of Palace Security, she was granted the freedom to move around without an escort or interference. In return, she had to learn basic self-defense, to which Tsumugi complied; it was a necessary price to pay for the freedom she had asked for. Besides, she was also learning something useful. Of course, this was only applicable when within the palace structure, going out the main gates was another thing entirely.

Even so, most guards still had trouble adjusting to this new set of protocols, which often caused them to be caught between conflicting actions, as with the soldiers that had eventually decided to simply observe Tsumugi and the civilians very closely. She did feel that it was a rather selfish move, asking for freedom like that, but she told herself not to regret it; after all it had allowed her to continue her little escapades and also allowed her to be able to meet the 2 girls today. Her mood lifted from the experience of meeting new friends, she walked back towards the palace, eager to share her experience with Yui and Ui.

As the three girls reached their destinations and settled down to get back to their routine, all three paused momentarily in realization.

_We forgot to introduce ourselves!_

* * *

**Once again, thanks for reading. Do take some time to leave a review, as your input is very encouraging for me! ^^****  
**


	6. The Game Plan

**Hi all, Thegoh here once again.**

**Now I have decided to post this chapter early, despite what I said previously about posting only when I'm one full chapter in advance. (In my defense, I did say I ****usually**** only post when one chapter in advance :p) **

**Mostly because well, I'm going to be off on a long vacation. I won't be able to get as much writing done then, and it makes no sense to let this chapter rot in my computer and make you all wait for it. Plus, I am rather proud of how this chapter has turned out. My favourite chapter so far, honestly, and I guess I got excited about being able to share this one. xD**

**So, here's chapter 6!**

* * *

Several months have passed since their first encounter, and the trio found themselves quickly settling into a routine, of sorts. Tsumugi, or Mugi as Ritsu decided to call her, would come out to the courtyard once the noontime gong sounded, meeting Ritsu and Mio to have lunch and a nice conversation. Every now and then, she'd bring along her tea set and sweets to treat the two to her own, hand-brewed tea and high grade snacks.

As usual, she refused any form of help when bringing these items out; she wanted to be as sincere as she could to Ritsu and Mio, and doing such things on her own was the best way she knew how. Sometimes, Mio would not be able to come due to some hold up at work, or Ritsu would have to leave early to resume her work, but it did no harm to their budding friendship. They started off mostly by sharing and discussing about music – it was common ground after all – but eventually their conversation topics began to take a wider scope.

Through these noontime interactions, Mugi found herself learning a lot more about the world outside the main gates. Being cooped up in the palace all day for 18 years meant that she knew only of the larger systems that governed the city, but not of the nitty-gritty things that people cared about. She was particularly intrigued by the process of haggling, since the prices of goods usually only depended on their availability, quality and the tax imposed. Having others to "bend to your will" when deciding on the final trading price seemed very interesting, though sounding rather manipulative and if not a little jerk-ish.

All this while, Mugi kept her status hidden. It was yet another selfish attempt to preserve the little world she had found with Ritsu and Mio, as she feared that her status would drive them away. She did her best not to flaunt her wealth and upbringing when with them, and never spoke much of her background and issues related to the royal family. Even when she introduced herself to them, she only gave her first name, thankful that Ritsu's enthusiasm had distracted them from the fact that she never spoke of her last name.

Of course, she was aware that it was only a matter of time before she would be confronted with questions regarding her true identity. She wanted to be transparent, and completely truthful to her friends, but each time she tried to muster up the courage to do so, it would elude her and leave a gaping hole of self-loathing and frustration behind. This was not how a true friendship was supposed to be, was it? If she really considered these people to be her friends, she should not be hiding things like this from them.

Ritsu and Mio hid little about themselves when spending time with Mugi, save for a few more embarrassing parts of their lives, and it just seemed wrong to not respond in kind… Mugi felt like she was cheating them. In the midst of friendly conversation, she was able to ignore those sentiments, but once she was alone, the tension would return full force.

Still, she was really grateful that she was able to spend time with these wonderful people, who over time had proven to be very warm, rivaling that of even Yui, and certainly had no qualms about including her in their banter. Mugi knew that such people were hard to find, and she had to do all in her power to cherish this treasure she had, in a sense, stumbled across. At first, she thought that it would be easy; her duty as a princess – or lack thereof – was not an obstacle to her newfound routine.

_But life always has a harsh way of putting you in your place, doesn't it? _Mugi thought ruefully as she stood before a pair of huge, ornate wooden doors as the sun set behind her. The doorframe towered over her, with lotus and lily motifs etched into the thick, dark and polished wood. The doors were painted a deep shade of maroon, with gold designs carved deep into the surface. The left door showed a huge and intricately detailed dragon, while the right door boasted an equally large, fearsome tiger; both beasts having their eyes locked onto one another, teeth and claws proudly bared.

These were the doors to the palace court; a place where her parents spent most of their time in. It was the place where any negotiations pertaining to official affairs would take place, such as treaties, cross-city trade offers, reviewing policies, wartime negotiations and anything else that required the personal attendance of Lord and Lady Kotobuki themselves.

This court also served as a criminal court, but only for the most treacherous offenders – those that committed high treason – where they would be judged directly by the highest authority in Shiloh. When the great doors were closed, the two great beasts on them would be locked in combat, alluding to the conflict held within the walls as fierce negotiations ensued. Once the doors opened, the two beasts would be separated, temporarily ending their seemingly eternal conflict; whether peace exited from the court or not was another matter entirely.

All in all, it never meant anything too good when you were summoned to this court. _Much less by your own father…_Mugi took a deep breath, put her slender hands on the door, and pushed.

She was greeted with the sight of a large, well decorated hall. Large candle lamps hung at regular intervals along the walls, while a very large one took its place in the center of the floor. The areas of the flooring nearest to the walls were all raised; these small platforms had tables on them, and were used by the numerous officials and secretaries as work spaces while the court was in session. And right at the end of the hall, on the highest platform in the room, was a huge, ornate table with two large and elaborate thrones. Seated on it, were the Lord and Lady themselves, flanked by the royal secretaries, and the other officials who took their respective seats at their workspaces.

Mugi calmed her nerves as she approached the center of the room; there was a small table and cushion on the floor there, meant either for those who had a case to bring up to the court, or those that had been summoned to it. The central lamp flared brightly behind her as she sat herself down, as if adding ominously to the uptight and tense mood that filled the courtroom. She shifted a little, positioning her body to sit upright as she had been taught over the years.

This was not the first time she had entered this courtroom, and experience told her that this was no place to screw with the rules. The court was a place where politics and status held absolute power, where nothing short of official documentation had the final say. It had a rigid, detailed structure for any and all kinds of proceedings; for a place built to handle the tumult of diametrically opposed interests and the clashing of opinions, having anything less than a very strict set of rules would turn it into war zone.

Mugi suppressed a sarcastic smile; the craftsmen certainly had a bitter sense of poetry when deciding to carve two beasts locked in eternal combat on the doors to a place like this.

Before her on the table, was a set of official documents and several large candles which illuminated the text on it clearly. Scanning the title quickly, she felt a fiery gnawing in her chest as she began to understand the nature of this particular court session. It was highly distressing, and she felt the gloomy recesses of her mind beginning to grow again.

But she could not show it. Not in the court, not in the place considered to be the pinnacle of decorum. Steeling her nerves, she put on a neutral face and forced it to stay there.

"Tsumugi." Her father's deep, coarse voice seemingly echoed throughout the now silent room. It was not just a simple greeting; it carried a tone of heavy expectation and held a sharp, steely edge to it. And Mugi knew that tone all too well; it was the tone of voice that her father used whenever he was going to enforce his will.

"I am here, father." Mugi bowed her head and answered respectfully.

"I trust you know what this is about." Her father raised an eyebrow slightly, fixing his eyes on her, inspecting her expressions and posture. Mugi forcefully suppressed a shudder; she loved her father dearly, but she greatly feared this hard, judgmental side of him. Mugi merely gave a curt nod in reply, not quite daring to give a verbalized answer. Her father was quite a harsh man, and one who had high expectations of those around him.

As long as you were serving under him, he expected nothing less than your best. He was the one who had proposed and designed the system of security in the palace, and was known throughout the region for being a tough negotiator. Depending on how you choose to look at him as a leader, he could be considered to be shrewd or could just be very paranoid.

Lord Kotobuki eyed his daughter for a little longer, before giving his Official of Foreign Affairs the go ahead. The short man stood from his seat, cleared his throat and began to speak.

"2 weeks ago, we received word from the city of Yuton that their youngest – their only prince – had just taken up office, and in celebration of that they sent us an envoy bearing material gifts..." Yuton was one of Shiloh's longstanding allies; one of the first few to attempt to broker peace with Shiloh in the heat of the Great Civil War.

Shiloh and Yuton were the comparatively smaller cities that had been caught up in the crossfire between the larger cities across the provinces, and the two suffered losses of great magnitude as they were often used as corridors to enemy grounds thanks to their proximity to their respective province borders. It was the similarity of their plight that had driven the two smaller cities to form an alliance, and the assistance that came from it was crucial to their survival during that time.

Once peace had been restored, over the next several decades the two cities had attempted to forge closer ties by negotiating numerous treaties; but these were mostly pertaining to trade and military ones as they attempted to help one another to recover from the war. Exceptions existed, such as Shiloh adopting music as an integral part of its education system in a fashion very similar to that of Yuton's; a way of paying tribute to them for their assistance.

However, the royals of Shiloh had been trying to find a way to further solidify the alliance during the past 20 years; the two cities had become rather inactive in their dealings with one another during this time. Yuton was a very important ally for Shiloh, and was one that they intended to keep within their good graces for as long as possible. It may have been nearly 4 generations ago, but the effects of the Great Civil War had not been cleanly forgotten. Coupled with the recent increase in cross-border raids by bandit clans, the royals of Shiloh felt that it was time to tighten the alliance a little more to improve their security.

Thus when such news reached Shiloh two weeks ago, the officials and the royal family were quick to see an opportunity. Ambassadors were rapidly sent and negotiations were soon underway; it was a chance for Shiloh to both repay their ally and to potentially strengthen ties. Mugi's parents had called her in afterwards to inform her of the news and the intended course of action, and she found herself unable to respond, deeply conflicted at how to react to such a proposal.

Ever since her childhood, Mugi had always been taught and reminded of the nature of her position; that she was the princess, and her duty was to protect her city and its people with her life. She held a lot of influence and power in her hands, and because of that she had to serve Shiloh before herself. The younger version of her accepted this without question, but as she grew older, she began to see the implications behind such a duty.

It was the awareness of the price she had to pay that caused her to become somewhat disillusioned while she grew. Yes, she could not deny that she had to put her interests aside for the sake of the city; that she was responsible for the city's survival, but part of her never really could get over the fact that she had to put down almost all of herself in the process.

Lady Kotobuki had been sympathetic when she proposed such a thing to her daughter; poor Mugi was only 18. To have such a burden thrown upon her shoulders at such a tender age was going to be highly stressful for her, not to mention completely jarring. She trusted Mugi's sense of responsibility, but she could not help but feel that this may be a little bit too much to ask of her. She tried her best to talk the officials and her husband out of it, but she could do little to change their mind; the most she achieved was convincing them that such a move was not entirely necessary for Shiloh's survival.

Her Lord was a harsh man that deeply believed that sacrifices were part and parcel of the role they had been given. He did have a hidden, a very well hidden, soft spot for their precious daughter – it was what made him allow her to have so much freedom in the palace – but in this case he felt that it was time for Mugi to step up to her duties, and take her first step into adulthood as a true member of royalty. Not that he didn't know what he was asking of her. He and his Lady had to go through something similar as well, but it was as he believed: sacrifice was part of the job. They had to align themselves to the circumstances and the opportunities presented.

"Yuton has offered to consider our proposal, and thus awaits the arrival of the princess."

Lord Kotobuki furrowed his eyebrows in contemplation at the news. "So, they still do not completely agree to it… But at least they have given us some leeway. Very well then, we shall continue negotiations." Beside him, the secretaries dutifully took down his words.

As the official finished his report, Mugi felt her shoulders sag; it seemed that she could not escape such a fate. The only thing that kept her from being at a complete loss was the fact that Yuton did not completely accept the proposal yet. Thus, whatever came next would still be an open question, and there was still time for her to at least get some leeway in the entire thing. Even so, Mugi knew that she would have little chance of being able to worm her way out completely from something like this. Once the short man bowed and respectfully returned to his workspace, Lord Kotobuki returned his sharp gaze to her.

"So, daughter, you know what is required of you. This shall be your first official task as the Kotobuki princess, so bear yourself well. You shall be in charge of the entire task; from the size of your convoy to the gifts you shall bring along, since we do need to return the favour." Lord Kotobuki said, his tone indicating that the decision was now final. Lady Kotobuki kept silent, but did her best to give her daughter a reassuring gaze; if this was the fate of their precious daughter, then she will do all in her power to support her. Mugi gave a small smile to her mother, immensely grateful for her concern.

Drawing a deep breath, Mugi steadied herself and gave a curt nod; now that she had no choice, she would just have to deal with it. Like how she dealt with everything else as she grew up, through gritted teeth and begrudging acceptance. She prayed to all the gods above that she would at least be able to keep what little friends she had, and that perhaps through it all, find some silver lining and peace. After all, as her mother always said, there was always something good in everything.

Even in an arranged marriage.

There had to be.

* * *

**Alright, thank you for reading! Do leave a review and tell me what you think ^^**

**Just want to put this out there, if any are confused as to why I switched from Tsumugi to Mugi, it is meant to highlight the change in the way Mugi views herself, and is an indication that she has accepted Ritsu and Mio as her friends. Not to mention the fact that it is much easier to read it heheh. **


End file.
